Insurgency; Borno Rice Farmers Count Losses

The social-economic effects of Boko Haram insurgency has taken its effect on the Maisandari Rice Farmers Association in Borno state, as its members has suspended farming from the start of this year.

Chairman of the association, Malam Garba Ibrahim, made the disclosure on Sunday to NAN. He said: “We are an association of big term rice farmers, comprising about 200 members. Each of us used to produce between 50 and 200 bags of rice per year” yet regretted that the production had decline due to insurgency in the state.

“We have witnessed steady decline in production in the last two years due to the insurgency. Last year, most of our members were not able to produce for fear of attacks in the farm by suspected insurgents,” added the chairman.

“Although the state government has provided imported rice mills to our members, in anticipation of massive production, but insecurity had made it impossible for us to cultivate.”

He therefore appealed to the Federal Government to intensify its efforts in tackling the insurgency so that the farmers could go back to the farm.